Let's Change the World!

Had another really cool moment today that I just had to share with you. This one is Non-Christmas related (can you believe it?), but has me feeling quite motivated to make the world a better place . . . starting right in my own home.

You see . . . Something REALLY COOL is happening in our house lately. Katie is reading. My first born daughter is reading. How cool is that? I mean, I knew that she would some day read. I knew that if she was anything like her Mommy, she would LOVE books and read all of the time. But I never really imagined how I would actually feel when she would start this process in her life. I guess I never really imagined how completely and totally amazed I would be to listen as she sound out words and how proud I would be of her as I listen to her read a story. I never imagined "The big brown bear was tall" would be such a stimulating sentence to me. But it is. It's the most beautiful sound in the world - the voice of your young child reading to you. Sigh. . . just amazing.

So, keeping that in mind, today I ran into our local Michael's craft store (just LOVE that store) to do a quick look at some craft kits for the Holidays. I spent a lot of time around the $1 section, sorting through all of the bins and carefully choosing great stocking stuffers (I found some AWESOME things there for Santa to leave!), when I stumbled upon a very little package that caught my eye. Lunchbox Love for kids. For only $1, I had to grab them. Take a look:


Aren't these the sweetest little sentiments? I know that I can make these in my own writing, and I actually have sent Kate to school a number of times with little "I LOVE YOU" notes posted on her PB&J. But these offer even more wonderful and great things to say to our kids. And it made me really really think . . . gees, sometimes I just hate it when things start me "thinking" ; ).

I started thinking about what it means to raise my daughters. And about how important it is to say these things - ALL of these things - to them. From thanking them for being great kids, to telling them their feelings matter to me. Saying these things to them will give them such self-worth, you know? Will make them realize that they are important - even if they are 6, or 2. Will remind them of what really matters in life.

I just went to website for the company who came up with this great idea, (you can connect to it here) and saw this quote: "Positive words can change someone's day, a life, and eventually the world." Take a moment and think about that. Read it again. So clear, don't you think?

I stopped watching the news years ago, because it was too harsh. Too depressing. Too focused on the bad, the negativity. People doing bad things to other people. Stories that I just don't want to have in my life. Tonight I started thinking about the people out there in the world who are just lost right now. Who are struggling with personal demons or with negativity that is just getting the best of them. I wonder if someone said, "Your feelings matter to me" when they were growing up. I wonder if they ever were told that they were important to someone. Don't you think positive words can change the world? I do.

So, that is my wish. To change the world one person at a time. And to start, by reminding my own children how wonderful they are. How special they are. And how much they mean to me. These little lunchbox notes will be the perfect thing to give to Katie, as she is reading more and more each day. I think I'll start with a simple card in Kate's lunch tomorrow . . . like, "Your feelings matter to me." And for Ella? Well, tomorrow I will tell her that her feelings matter to me - and maybe we'll work on writing I LOVE YOU on paper (she is doing really well with her "E's" lately!)

So my challenge to you? Spread some positive words to those you come in contact with. Whomever it may be. I guarantee - you will be changing the world if you do it. (I'll be back with more Christmas tomorrow. This was just too special to not share with you today!)